VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, 4 October 1926, Page 6

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tho ordinary monthly meeting of the above held in the Council Chambers, Clyde, on 22nd Sept., was attended by Crs J. Ritchie (chair)) J. -MeKnight, S. T. Spain, C. Weaver, A. Scoular, J. Kane, J. It. Webb and W. 1). Naylor. The special business, the confirming of tho motions striking general rite and also a special rate Hawoa road loan, was carried without discussion. The minutes of tha previous meeting were read and confirmed. —Correspondence was read and dealt with as under — From Mr Horn M.P. .ro Hawea Lake tracks, and also from the Public Works Department on the subject. .£2OO was available (£2 for £l) TimaruIluntcr Valley, and Hunter tracks. Tin 1 chairman mentioned that Mr Horn had gone to a great deal of trouble and should be thanked for what he bad done. Cr. Kane remarked that he understood the vote from the consolidate! fund hid been a straight out one, and he thought that they apply for authority to spend the grant of £l5O which had been strongly credited to Lake County.

The Department of Internal Affairs wrote offering to supply circulars re fire prevention at a cost of 17s 6d per 1,000. — Keceived.

Mr F. J. Bloy asked permission to put a pipe across a road at Omakau. ■ Cr. Scoular mentioned that he had given authority to have the pipe in as the work was urgent. The job bad been satisfactorily done. To this the Inspector agreed and it was resolved that the deposit forwarded be returned. The Imperial Oil Company was granted permission to erect a budding at Cromwell. J. Anderson, Cromwell, wrote that he had repaired damage done to approaches to Cromwell bridge.—The Inspector said that the work had been done satisfactorily. The Tuapeka Council wrote suggesting a conference of County Councils re adoption of model bye-laws.—The chairman mentioned that they had gone to 1 a lot of trouble in the matter and these bye-laws had been drawn tip. He suggested that the revised by laws be forwarded to the other councils and that if another conference was desired that Vincent Council would be pleased to join in. The Bruce County wrote asking for a draft copy of the bye laws. —The clerk to supply information and to intimate that they would be willing to have another conference. The Nevis Dredging Company wrote asking that the road to Nevis be put in order as they wanted to cart machinery. The chairman said that there wis a vote of .£2OO for Nevis Valley roads, and he suggested that the vote be spent, £SO of it to be expended from the county boundary on the Garston side. —Agreed to.. The Under Secretary for Mines wrote re grant of £IOO for Nevis Valley roads and asking for plans, etc. —The engineerclerk to ask for authority to spend the money by day labor. The private secretary of His Excellency the Governor wrote intimating that he would be pleased to meet the residents of Clyde on Tuesday, October 19th, from 12 to 12.80 p.m. His Excellency would be accompanied by his wife, Lady Ferguson and aide-de-camp. A copy of the Supplementary Estimates was laid on the table.

The District Engineer wrote asking whether the council was prepared to accept the offer of £l5O, £ for .£, for the Little Valley road. —Cr. Spain supported the acceptance of the vote. There were five settlers, four of them returned soldiers, who had found £I,OOO. The council got £-400 a year in rates from these settlers, and he strongly urged that they had a good case. —The chairman mentioned that the £3OO proposed would be spent on improving the road. The maintenance of the road in question would have been a charge on the council, and as the vote would relieve them of the annual upkeep he thought they should take up the vote. —Cr McKnight thought they had spent far too much originally in giving .£SOO. He, however, was in sympathy with the settlers. Cr. Spain said that it cost £3 per ton for cartage, to which Cr. Webb replied that the settlers had taken up the land realising the position. The Lands Department should have provided the money. Cr. Spain further remarked that in the past only a trifling amount, £lO or .£2O, had been spent annually to keep a track open. —It was unanimously decided to take up the vote. Mr S. Paikhill asked permission to fence the gravel reserve at Lower Hawea for the purpose of running a horse. — Permission given during the pleasure of the council.

W. J. Gallagher was granted permission to erect a swing gate on back road near pound at Omakau, Mr T. Read forwarded a petition from ratepayers asking that a bridge be erected over Thompsons Creek. —Cr, Scoular pointed out that this bridge was on the schedule. It was recognised by the council as a necessary work. The position of tho proposed bridge was near Mr Bead's property.—rThc clerk to reply that there was no occasion for the petition, as the council had already the matter in hand.

The inward correspondence as read was received and the schedule of outward correspondence was approved. At this stage Cr. McKnight asked for a copy of the schedule when it was discovered that only the top bridge was on it. Cr. Scoular remarked that he understood that both bridges were included. The petition to lie on the table for one month.

The chairman reported that lies had attended a meeting of the Main Highways Council when £he AlexandraClyde road was declared a main highway. The application to make the road to Luggate a. main highway had been turned down but the application would be renewed next year. He believed that there was a probability of getting 80s for a £ tor maintenance and the clerk intimated that tbjs was now definite. The Inspectors report was read and dealt with as under;—

Hawea Biding. —Cr. Kane asked that an endeavour be made to get the votes for the lake tracku expended.—Agreed to. Cr. Naylor remarked that the gravelling job at Lindis had been Avell done. The Inspector said that he would endeavour to inspect Whelan's road in the course of tho next few days. On Cr. Webb's request minor works on the road at Bipponvale were authorised.

Cr, Spain pointed out the neccessity

for improving crossings on the road between Clyde and Chatfco Creek. —The chairman remarked that the district engineer would be in the district in the course of a few days, when they would consult him in regard to this matter. Cr. Secular supported what the Inspector suggested that 10 chains of road to Mawhinney's be graded when the grader is in the district. —Agreed bo.

It was also-agr d that sufficient timber be sent out to make a stock bridge on the Disputed Spur road. The surfaceman was given authority to altera culvert near Mr G. il i \. y's, the latter to assist.

On Cr. McKnight's request the engineer was instructed to expend vole on 131 a k's Hill as soon as available.

La reply to Cr. McKnight, the engineer said that tha Wehr grader was or I ere J the clay after last meeting, and th Department had replied asking where it should be delivered.—Cr. McKnight stressed the necessity of putting tin: machine in action as soon as it arrived. The chairman remarked that in his opinion the county me i wanted shaking up, as»he was satisfied thai: they did not all start work ;.;t 8 o'clock.

Crs. Spain and Webb expressed the opinion that the county men should work from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m., and if they took a half-holiday they should - not be paid for it.

Cr. Weaver, in referring to the big difficulty in maintaining the Fruitlands road, suggested that a Ford truck should be purchased for Earnscleugh and Dunstan.

Cr. Spain thought that every riding should have a lorry, and that the horse and dray should be cut out.

The chairman expressed the opinion that the whole question should be hold over, in view of the financial position, until next March, when he thought they cou!d go in for a fleeb of lori-iss, possibly one for each riding. The Fruitlaads road would have to be done next meeting.

The car inspector reported that 1-i heavy traffic licenses had been issued, as well as 46S cars. The council then retired into committee, the report on resuming being : Resolved that the schedule of account-, amounting to _t;lßu7, be passed for payment.

J. Ironside's tender for contract No. 779, .5101 10s, was accepted.